Variable friction tuning for shock absorption

ABSTRACT

An exemplary shock absorber includes a damper tube, a damper piston, a piston shaft, and at least two different surface treatments. The damper tube includes an interior surface. The damper piston includes a piston surface that engages the interior surface. The piston shaft couples with the damper piston and includes a shaft surface that engages a fourth surface. The at least two different surface treatments are disposed on at least one of the interior surface and the shaft surface and create a corresponding plurality of coefficients of friction with at least one of the piston surface and the fourth surface respectively.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and is a continuation of theco-pending patent application Ser. No. 15/490,794, filed on Apr. 18,2017, entitled “VARIABLE FRICTION TUNING FOR SHOCK ABSORPTION” by ThomasWittenschlaeger, which is incorporated herein, in its entirety, byreference.

FIELD

The invention generally relates to shock absorbers and more specificallyto systems for variable friction tuning for shock absorption.

BACKGROUND

Current shock absorption technologies include fluid dampers that varythe amount of damping force provided to a sprung mass of a system bychanneling fluid through various passageways and valves to constrictfluid flow, increase pressures, and bypass damping fluid chambers.Various damping characteristic curves may result from tuning the sizesand locations of orifices and the stiffness of valve shims.

Current fluid dampers are constructed of uniform damper tubes, damperpistons, piston shafts, seals, wear bands, and bearings that engage oneanother frictionally. The surface treatment is uniform along the lengthof the inner surface of the damper tube and the outer surface of thepiston shaft. The damper pistons, seals, wear bands, and bearings engagethe damper tube and piston shaft and include both a static friction anda kinetic friction. Both frictions depend upon the surface to surfaceinteraction between the piston (or piston wear band) and the damper tubeor between the shaft and a seal and/or bearing surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Aspects of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, andnot by way of limitation, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is cross-sectional perspective view of a shock absorber includinguniform engaging surfaces, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is cross-sectional perspective view of the shock absorberincluding a plurality of surface treatments on an interior surface of adamper tube, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views of another shock absorberincluding a plurality of surface treatments on an interior surface of adamper tube in a compressed position and an extended positionrespectively, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of another shock absorber including aplurality of regions for tuning coefficients of friction between matingsurfaces, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a shock absorber illustrating a pluralityof surface treatments for creating a plurality of coefficients offriction between mating surfaces a first region, in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a shock absorber illustrating a pluralityof surface treatments for creating a plurality of coefficients offriction between mating surfaces in a second region, in accordance withan embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a shock absorber illustrating a variablesurface treatment for creating a plurality of coefficients of frictionbetween mating surfaces, in accordance with an embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The description set forth below in connection with the appended drawingsis intended as a description of various embodiments of the presentinvention and is not intended to represent the only embodiments in whichthe present invention is to be practiced. Each embodiment described inthis disclosure is provided merely as an example or illustration of thepresent invention, and should not necessarily be construed as preferredor advantageous over other embodiments. In some instances, well knownmethods, procedures, objects, and the like have not been described indetail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the presentdisclosure.

The architecture described herein takes advantage of frictional forcesand reduces the number of complex fluid flow solutions found in today'shydraulic dampers. One embodiment creates different zones within thedamper where frictional forces between the engaging surfaces of thehydraulic damper vary. At least two different zones, utilize varioussurface treatment techniques to achieve micro-textured surfaces thatexhibit varying coefficients of friction (static and kinetic). Thesurface treatments are applied to the inner surface of the damper tube'sworking chamber, to the outer surface of the piston shaft, or acombination thereof.

For example, in one embodiment, a middle portion of the damper tubecould be treated to achieve a first surface treatment to drasticallyreduce breakaway friction forces when the damper has been stationary fora prolonged period. This middle portion would be the “ride zone” inwhich the damper piston most often travels. A first adjacent portionjust above the middle portion is treated to achieve a second surfacetreatment that provides a higher kinetic friction force. This firstadjacent portion will experience faster damper piston velocities thatthe middle portion from severe compression events. In one embodiment,portions at the top and bottom of the damper tube are also treated toachieve a third surface treatment to further increase kinetic frictionand create a “virtual” bottom out or top out system that slows thedamper piston substantially as full compression or extension occurs.

Thus, the damper can operate with far fewer valve architectures and evenbe simplified to only a main piston valve or base valve configuration.In one embodiment, the system is used in conjunction with existingtechnologies to provide more uniform response from the damper. Thesurfaces are treated in a fashion to alter the frictional force based ontemperature (increased damping from friction forces for example as thefluid temperature increase and/or cavitation begins).

In one embodiment, the fluid damper shock absorber includes a dampertube, a damper piston, a piston shaft, and at least two differentsurface treatments. The damper tube includes an interior surface. Thedamper piston includes a piston surface that engages the interiorsurface. The piston shaft couples with the damper piston and includes ashaft surface that engages a fourth surface. The at least two differentsurface treatments are disposed on at least one of the interior surfaceand the shaft surface and create a corresponding plurality ofcoefficients of friction with at least one of the piston surface and thefourth surface respectively.

In other features, the fourth surface is a shaft guide surface, theinterior surface of the damper tube, or a shaft seal surface. In otherfeatures, the damper piston includes a wear band around an outercircumference of the damper piston and the piston surface includes anexterior surface of the wear band.

In yet other features, the surface treatments include at least one of acoating, a vibro-rolled, a chemically etched, an abrasive machined, ahoned, a reactive ion etched, a high energy chemical plasma etched, aphotolithographic deposited, an abrasive jet machined, an excimer laserbeam machined, a vibro-mechanical textured, a laser surface textured, anelectro-plated, an evaporative deposited surface and a polyelectrolytecoating treatment.

In yet other features, the surface treatments include a first surfacetreatment at a first end of the interior surface of the damper tubehaving a first coefficient of friction with the piston surface. In otherfeatures, the surface treatments include a second surface treatmentadjacent the first surface treatment having a second coefficient offriction with the piston surface that is less than the first coefficientof friction. In still other features, the surface treatments include athird surface treatment adjacent the second surface treatment having athird coefficient of friction with the piston surface that is less thanthe second coefficient of friction. In yet other features, the surfacetreatments include a third surface treatment adjacent the second surfacetreatment having a third coefficient of friction with the piston surfacethat is greater than the second coefficient of friction.

Another exemplary fluid damper shock absorber includes a damper tube, adamper piston, a first surface treatment, and a second surfacetreatment. The damper tube includes an interior surface. The damperpiston includes a piston surface that engages the interior surface. Thefirst surface treatment is disposed at a first end of the interiorsurface of the damper tube and includes a first coefficient of frictionwith the piston surface. The second surface treatment is disposedadjacent the first surface treatment and includes a second coefficientof friction with the piston surface that is less than the firstcoefficient of friction.

In other features, the damper piston includes a wear band around anouter circumference of the damper piston and the piston surface includesan exterior surface of the wear band.

In yet other features, the surface treatments include a third surfacetreatment adjacent the second surface treatment having a thirdcoefficient of friction with the piston surface that is greater than thesecond coefficient of friction. In still other features, the surfacetreatments include a third surface treatment adjacent the second surfacetreatment having a third coefficient of friction with the piston surfacethat is greater than the second coefficient of friction.

In yet other features, the surface treatments include at least one of acoating, a vibro-rolled, a chemically etched, an abrasive machined, ahoned, a reactive ion etched, a high energy chemical plasma etched, aphotolithographic deposited, an abrasive jet machined, an excimer laserbeam machined, a vibro-mechanical textured, a laser surface textured, anelectro-plated, an evaporative deposited surface and a polyelectrolytecoating.

Another exemplary fluid damper shock absorber includes a damper tube, adamper piston, a piston shaft, a first surface treatment, and a secondsurface treatment. The damper tube includes an interior surface. Thedamper piston includes a piston surface that engages the interiorsurface. The piston shaft couples with the damper piston and includes ashaft surface that engages a fourth surface. The first surface treatmentis disposed at a first end of the piston shaft and includes a firstcoefficient of friction with the fourth surface. The second surfacetreatment is disposed adjacent the first surface treatment and includesa second coefficient of friction with the fourth surface that is lessthan the first coefficient of friction.

In yet other features, the surface treatments include a third surfacetreatment adjacent the second surface treatment having a thirdcoefficient of friction with the fourth surface that is greater than thesecond coefficient of friction. In still other features, the surfacetreatments include a third surface treatment adjacent the second surfacetreatment having a third coefficient of friction with the fourth surfacethat is greater than the second coefficient of friction.

In yet other features, the surface treatments include at least one of acoating, a vibro-rolled, a chemically etched, an abrasive machined, ahoned, a reactive ion etched, a high energy chemical plasma etched, aphotolithographic deposited, an abrasive jet machined, an excimer laserbeam machined, a vibro-mechanical textured, a laser surface textured, anelectro-plated, an evaporative deposited surface and a polyelectrolytecoating.

Referring to FIG. 1, a cross-sectional perspective view of a shockabsorber including uniform engaging surfaces is shown in accordance withan embodiment. In one embodiment, an exemplary fluid damper shockabsorber 100 includes a damper portion and an integrated gas springportion. The damper portion includes a damper tube 102, a gas springtube 104, damper piston 106, and a piston shaft 108. The damper tube 102is filled with a damper fluid. The damper tube 102 is sealed at a firstend by a gas spring piston 110 which together with gas spring tube 104and first end cap 112 forms a gas spring chamber 114 filled with a gassuch as air or nitrogen. The damper tube 102 is further sealed at asecond end by a second end cap 116 to fully enclose the damper fluid. Afloating piston 118 is disposed between the damper piston 106 and thesecond end cap 116 to form a pressurized gas chamber 120. The damperpiston 106 divides the interior portion of the damper tube 102 into arebound chamber 122 and a compression chamber 124. An interior surface126 of the damper tube 102 engages with the damper piston 106 or in someembodiments, a wear band 128 as the piston shaft 108 is forced back andforth along its linear axis, compressing and extending the shockabsorber 100 in response to applied forces from, for example an unsprungmass such as a wheel traveling along a road surface.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a cross-sectional perspective view of the shockabsorber including a plurality of surface treatments on an interiorsurface of a damper tube is shown in accordance with an embodiment. Inone embodiment, the shock absorber 100 further includes surfacetreatments such as surface micro texturing, coatings, or platings on theinterior surface 126 of the damper tube 102. For example, the interiorsurface 126 includes a first surface treatment 130 along a middleportion of the damper tube 102 corresponding to a “ride zone” of anassociated vehicle on which the shock absorber 100 is installed. Theinterior surface 126 includes a second surface treatment 132 along afirst adjacent portion next to the middle portion of the damper tube 102corresponding to an increased damping zone of the associated vehicle.The interior surface 126 includes a third surface treatment 134 along anend portion next to the adjacent portion of the damper tube 102corresponding to a heavy damping zone of the associated vehicle. Eachsurface treatment 130-134 is mirrored on the opposite side of the damperpiston 106. Surface treatments is developed for various damping needsalong the entire length of the damper tube 102 in both the reboundchamber 122 and the compression chamber 124.

Referring now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, cross-sectional views of another shockabsorber including a plurality of surface treatments on an interiorsurface of a damper tube in a compressed position and an extendedposition respectively are shown in accordance with an embodiment. In oneembodiment, shock absorber 200 includes a damper portion without the gasspring portion of shock absorber 100. Similarly, to shock absorber 100,the damper tube 102 includes multiple surface treatments 130, 132, and134. In FIG. 3A, the shock absorber 200 is shown in a fully compressedor “bottomed out” position in which the damper piston 106 or the wearband 128 engages with the third surface treatment 134 on the interiorsurface 126. In FIG. 3B, the shock absorber 200 is shown in a fullyextended or “topped out” position in which the damper piston 106 or thewear band 128 engages with the third surface treatment 134 on theinterior surface 126. In use, the damper piston 106 or the wear band 128will engage with each of the surface treatments. Each surface treatmentprovides two different frictional forces—static friction and dynamicfriction. In one embodiment, each surface treatment provides the samecoefficient of friction regardless of the direction of movement of thedamper piston 106. Alternatively, in another embodiment, each surfacetreatment provides two different coefficients of friction depending onthe direction of movement of the damper piston 106.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a block diagram 300 of a shock absorber (suchas shock absorber 100 or shock absorber 200) including a plurality ofregions for tuning coefficients of friction between mating surfaces isshown in accordance with an embodiment. In one embodiment, FIG. 4illustrates at least three regions for tuning coefficient of frictionbetween surfaces. A first region 302 includes mating surfaces of thedamper piston 106 or wear band 128 and the interior surface 126 of thedamper tube 102. A second region 304 includes mating surfaces of thepiston shaft 108 and a shaft guide 136 or a shaft seal 138. A thirdregion includes mating surfaces of the floating piston 118 or a sealsurrounding the floating piston and another interior surface 140 of areservoir 142. Alternatively, the interior surface 140 is an interiorsurface of the pressurized gas chamber 120. Each of the regions 302,304, and 306 includes one or more coefficient of static friction μ_(s)and more or more coefficient of kinetic friction μ_(k).

Referring now to FIG. 5, a block diagram of a shock absorberillustrating a plurality of surface treatments for creating a pluralityof coefficients of friction between mating surfaces a first region isshown in accordance with an embodiment. In one embodiment, the dampertube 102 includes three different surface treatments 130, 132, and 134.The piston shaft 108 includes a substantially uniform surface. Together,the first regions 302 include coefficient of frictions μ₁, μ₂, and μ₃respectively and for both static and kinetic friction. Here, the wearband 128 engages the various surface treatments 130-134.

With reference now to FIG. 6, a block diagram of a shock absorberillustrating a plurality of surface treatments for creating a pluralityof coefficients of friction between mating surfaces in a second regionis shown in accordance with an embodiment. In one embodiment, the dampertube 102 includes a substantially uniform surface while the piston shaft108 includes various surface treatments 130-134. Together, secondregions 304 include coefficient of frictions μ₁, μ₂, and μ₃ respectivelyand for both static and kinetic friction. In some examples, both thedamper tube 102 and the piston shaft 108 include surface treatments130-134. Although not shown, the third region 306 will likewise includesurface treatments 130-134 between the floating piston 118 and interiorsurface 140 and are combined with surface treatments on the interiorsurface 126 of the damper tube and/or with surface treatments on thepiston shaft 108.

The surface treatments 130-134 are formed throughout the circumferenceand along a predetermined length of the interior surface 126 of thedamper tube 102 forming cylindrical sections. Alternatively, the surfacetreatments 130-134 are formed along portions of the circumference andalong a predetermine length of the interior surface 126 forming partialcylindrical sections. Any number of patterns is used to form the surfacetreatments 130-134 including helical, striped, and the like to achievethe desired level of friction for a given position of the damper piston106 within the damper tube 102.

Examples of surface treatments which are used to create the surfacetreatments 130-134 include but are not limited to coatings,vibro-rolling, chemical etching, abrasive machining, honing to generatemicro-grooves, reactive ion etching (RIE), high energy chemical plasma,photolithographic techniques, abrasive jet machining (AJM), excimerlaser beam machining (LBM), vibro-mechanical texturing (VMT), lasersurface texturing (LST), electro-plating, electric-field-inducedpolyelectrolyte coatings, and evaporative deposition.

Referring now to FIG. 7, a block diagram of a shock absorberillustrating a variable surface treatment for creating a plurality ofcoefficients of friction between mating surfaces is shown in accordancewith an embodiment. In one embodiment, FIG. 7 includes a damper piston406 that is selectively charged with a variable voltage. The damperpiston 406 or a wear band 428 disposed about the circumference of thedamper piston 406 engages the interior surface 126 of the damper tube102. At least one of the interior surface 126, the damper piston 406,and the wear band 428 includes the surface treatment 130 which includesa polyelectrolyte coating. Electricity is applied to the damper piston406 via leads 444. A variable voltage V is applied to the damper piston406 using alternating current. As the voltage is varied, the coefficientof friction of the engaging interior surface 126 and damper piston 406or wear band 428 varies. The voltage is set by a user to one or morepredetermined values. Each of the predetermined values corresponds to adesired level of friction.

A control system is provided to regulate the variable voltage V based onvarious parameters associated with vehicle operation or shock absorbercharacteristics. For example, a controller 446 receives a plurality ofsignals from sensors 448 including a temperature T associated withoperation of the shock absorber, a cavitation measurement C, pistonvelocity PV, piston position PP, a vehicle speed VS, or other signals.In one embodiment, the controller 446 is integral with anothercontroller such as a vehicle master controller or engine control unit(ECU). Alternately, in one embodiment, the controller 446 is astandalone unit. The controller 446 controls voltages for one or moreshock absorbers. The controller 446 is linked to one or more othervehicle controllers via a CAN bus or other vehicle networkcommunications.

Based on the data, the controller 446 generates a voltage or currentvalue to be applied to the damper piston 406. For example, in colderweather and/or after a prolonged period of rest, many shock absorbersexperience higher levels of friction between the damping piston 106 andinterior surface 126 of the damper tube 102. Hydraulic damping fluidincreases in viscosity as the temperature decreases. Damper tubes alsodecrease in diameter as the metal contracts due to lower temperatures.These and other natural phenomenon result in reduced ride quality,harshness, unwanted noises, increased component wear, and otherundesirable side effects. The control system compensates for thetemperature T of the shock absorber by decreasing the coefficient offriction. For example, when the sensed or modeled temperature of thedamper tube 102 is below a threshold temperature T1, the controller 446begins to apply voltage V to decrease the coefficient of friction.

The voltage V is increased or decreased during normal temperatureoperation of the shock absorber as well to compensate for a variety ofconditions in which increased or decreased damping forces are desiredincluding but not limited to: steady-state high vehicle speed (highwaydriving), off-road situation-specific events (rough road, low vehiclespeed rock crawl, jumps, landings), evasive maneuvering (rapid turningevents), body roll, body pitch/heave, body yaw, and the like.

A method for selecting a plurality of surface treatments includesdetermining desired static breakaway forces for the damper piston 106 ina plurality of positions within the damper tube 102, determining desireddamping forces for the damper piston 106 in a plurality of positionswithin the damper tube 102, determining desired damping forces for thedamper piston 106 for piston shaft 108 velocity ranges, determiningdesired damping forces for the damper piston 106 for a direction ofmovement, and selecting a surface treatment to achieve the desiredbreakaway force and damping force for each of the positions, velocityranges, and direction of movement.

For example, in a ride zone or first portion of the damper tube 102, itis desirable to include a first surface treatment 130 with a firstcoefficient of static friction that is the lowest of all and a firstcoefficient of kinetic friction that is lowest of all. In oneembodiment, the first surface treatment 130 is not dependent ondirection of movement and will result in the same frictional forcesregardless of the direction travelled by the damper piston 106.Alternately, in one embodiment, the compression and rebound tuning ofthe first surface treatment 130 results in two different coefficients ofstatic friction and two different coefficients of kinetic friction forthe first surface treatment 130: both including a compression directioncoefficient and a rebound direction coefficient.

Similarly, the adjacent portions of the damper tube next to the firstportion include a second surface treatment 132 with a second coefficientof static friction that is higher than the first coefficient of staticfriction and a second coefficient of kinetic friction that is higherthan the first coefficient of kinetic friction. In one embodiment, thissecond surface treatment 132 is not dependent on direction of movementand results in the same frictional forces regardless of the directiontravelled by the damper piston 106. Alternately, in one embodiment,compression and rebound tuning of the second surface treatment 132results in two different coefficients of static friction and twodifferent coefficients of kinetic friction for the second surfacetreatment 132: both including a compression direction coefficient and arebound direction coefficient.

The end portions of the damper tube repeats the same tuning process forselecting the third surface treatment 134. Any number of surfacetreatments is employed to provide the desired level of position-specificand piston velocity-specific damping forces.

The foregoing Description of Embodiments is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form described.Instead, example embodiments in this Description of Embodiments havebeen presented in order to enable persons of skill in the art to makeand use embodiments of the described subject matter. Moreover, variousembodiments have been described in various combinations. However, anytwo or more embodiments could be combined. Although some embodimentshave been described in a language specific to structural features and/ormethodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matterdefined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to thespecific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific featuresand acts described above are disclosed by way of illustration and asexample forms of implementing the claims and their equivalents.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A fluid damper shock absorber, comprising:a damper tube including an interior surface; a damper piston including apiston surface that engages said interior surface; a piston shaftcoupled with said damper piston and including a shaft surface thatengages a fourth surface; and at least two different surface treatmentson at least one of said interior surface and said shaft surface thatcreate a corresponding plurality of coefficients of friction with atleast one of said piston surface and said fourth surface respectively,wherein said surface treatments include a first surface treatment at afirst end of said interior surface of said damper tube having a firstcoefficient of friction with said piston surface, wherein said surfacetreatments include a second surface treatment adjacent said firstsurface treatment having a second coefficient of friction with saidpiston surface that is less than said first coefficient of friction, andwherein said surface treatments include a third surface treatmentadjacent said second surface treatment having a third coefficient offriction with said piston surface that is greater than said secondcoefficient of friction.
 2. The shock absorber of claim 1, wherein saidfourth surface is a shaft guide.
 3. The shock absorber of claim 1,wherein said fourth surface is an interior surface of an end cap.
 4. Theshock absorber of claim 1, wherein said fourth surface is a shaft seal.5. The shock absorber of claim 1, wherein said damper piston includes awear band around an outer circumference of said damper piston, saidpiston surface including an exterior surface of said wear band.
 6. Theshock absorber of claim 1, wherein said surface treatments include atleast one of a coating, vibro-rolled, a chemically etched, an abrasivemachined, a honed, a reactive ion etched, a high energy chemical plasmaetched, a photolithographic deposited, an abrasive jet machined, anexcimer laser beam machined, a vibro-mechanical textured, a lasersurface textured, an electro-plated, an evaporative deposited surface,and a polyelectrolyte coating treatment.
 7. The shock absorber of claim1, wherein said at least two different surface treatments providedifferent zones within said shock absorber so that, in use, frictionalforces vary between surfaces engaging with said different zones.
 8. Theshock absorber of claim 1, wherein said at least two different surfacetreatments comprise micro-textured surfaces that exhibit varyingcoefficients of friction respectively.
 9. The shock absorber of claim 1,wherein said shock absorber is coupled to a vehicle.